It’s such a pleasure today to be joining the blog tour for the latest book from Julie Caplin, A Little Place in Prague, and sharing my review. The twelfth in her series of Romantic Escapes, it was published for kindle by One More Chapter on 23rd October (available via Amazon in the UK and US), and is now also available in paperback and as an audiobook. My thanks, as always, to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
I’m always rather ashamed to admit that I haven’t read all the books in this lovely series – although I do always try to fit in (and unfailingly enjoy) the books by Julie’s alter ego, Jules Wake. But I did thoroughly enjoy the eighth book in the series, The Cosy Cottage in Ireland (actually, I entirely loved it – you’ll find my review here) and the next book, The Christmas Castle in Scotland, was a most definite 10/10 for me and the most perfect Christmas escape (you’ll find that review here). The tenth book, The French Chateau Dream, was pretty near perfect too – a beautifully drawn location, and a captivating story that totally engaged me from beginning to end (you can read my full review again here). And then I went and let the side down again, and entirely missed out on visiting Amalfi with A Villa with a View – but perhaps that helps when I tell you that you really don’t need to worry too much about these books being “part of a series”. So this time it’s Prague, in the run up to Christmas, the promise of “a swoon-worthy winter romance”, and the most beautiful cover – most definitely the book for me…
It’s been years since Anna has seen Leo Knight. And of all the apartments in all the cities in all the world, he just happens to walk in to her cosy new attic home – as her new housemate.
As the two walk the cobbled streets of Prague, taking in the sights and sounds from Wenceslas Square, frosted with snow, to the soft glow of candlelit Charles Bridge, the enchantment of the City of a Hundred Spires soon starts to work its magic on them…
Should you ever be thinking of visiting Prague, I honestly wouldn’t bother with Google or any guidebooks – this wonderful book will transport you there, giving a wonderful taste (and I use that word deliberately – food that makes your mouth water, and if you’ve never tried Czech beer…) of exactly what it would be like to live and work there, lingering at times on the many unmissable sights. I’ve rarely come across a book that had me so immersed in its lovely setting and (if they don’t already) I’m sure the tourist organisations will be rolling out the red carpet for the lovely author every time she visits. She captures everything in such wonderful detail, really bringing the place to life – and you can feel that it’s a place she loves.
And love certainly is a major part of the totally gorgeous story too. Anna is there as part of a competition – working with a brewery to design a new beer, part of an initiative to promote Czech brewing in the UK – hoping to win the prize of the equipment she needs to set up her own microbrewery. The trade attaché department have organised accommodation for the duration of her placement – a shared flat with two bedrooms and a rather lovely terrace. But no furniture, and as boyfriend Steve assembles her bed before heading for home, they discover another problem – she’ll be sharing with Leo, the men take an instant dislike to each other, and (although she keeps it a secret for now) they do have a shared past that she’d really prefer not to revisit. And he’s her competition for the prize that means so much to her – and we do discover the reasons why, and why she feels (perhaps wrongly) that he might not be quite as invested in the outcome.
They’re each assigned a sponsor – Anna’s with a more traditional brewery, Leo’s with an innovative young one, with the additional complication of a rift in the family that’s made the owners enemies. Making the best of things after the initial sparks that fly between them, they enjoy the company of downstairs neighbours Jan and Michaela, drawn in by their circle of friends too. And landlady Ludmilla isn’t quite the cranky presence she seemed to be at first encounter either. And it would be a shame not to see a bit of Prague while they’re there, wouldn’t it? And slowly – very slowly, with a few reversals along the way – their unlikely connection starts to build. Perhaps Anna isn’t the tightly laced-up and entirely focused person she sometimes seems to be – and maybe there’s rather more depth to Leo than his jokey, flirty and friendly front would have you believe.
Enough of the story-telling – the author does it so much better. In fact, she does it quite wonderfully – I so enjoyed the way the ice began to thaw between them, each of them an individual who really won my heart. And as for the book’s central romance – that was so real I could feel it, and something very special indeed. And I haven’t even mentioned that it’s nearly Christmas too, have I? A time of year when emotions always run a little more deeply – and this book entirely captures the magic of the season. I must mention too a particularly welcome cameo appearance from a couple central to one of the earlier books – nothing that need trouble you if you failed to notice, but I thought it was such a lovely touch.
This was such a special book, and I have to say I loved every single moment – the beautifully drawn setting, the gorgeous romance, the emotional ups and downs, the friendships, the happy ever after I so hoped for but doubted would ever happen. Quite magical, and the perfect read for the long dark nights – do add it to your Christmas reading list, because I’m quite sure you’ll love it every bit as much as I did.
About the author
Julie Caplin, formerly a PR director, swanned around Europe for many years taking top food and drink writers on press trips (junkets) sampling the gastronomic delights of various cities in Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, Copenhagen and Switzerland. It was a tough job but someone had to do it. These trips have provided the inspiration and settings for the highly successful Romantic Escapes series which have hit the best seller charts in Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic and have sold over two million copies worldwide. The first book in the series, The Little Café in Copenhagen, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novel of the Year Award.
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Thanks Julie, for an onslaught of bittersweet memories . We hadn’t been together long when my husband was sent to work in Prague, in winter. Joined him for a week, in frosty Wenceslaus square. Nowhere near long enough.